Tuesday, August 4, 2015, Greg Johnson

Theme: Power LIFT. The last word in each theme answer can precede LIFT.

16. Aid in finding a pitch : TUNING FORK. Forklift.

23. Foldable outdoor seat : LAWN CHAIR. Chairlift.

46. Hard-to-read expression : POKER FACE. Facelift.

55. Bubba Gump company vessel : SHRIMP BOAT. Boatlift

34. Motorist's question ... and hint to the ends of 16-, 23-, 46- and 55-Across : NEED A LIFT

A fine Tuesday puzzle, with the clever reveal right in the center. Zoomed through pretty quickly, you?
 
Across         

1. Network celebrating early Hollywood : TCM. Turner Classic Movies

4. Doesn't leave a gratuity : STIFFS. Not cool.

10. Little untruth : FIB. Little white lie.


13. Fury : IRE


14. Like an atrium : SUNLIT

15. __ sapiens : HOMO. Latin homo man + sapien wise.

18. Trebek with all the answers : ALEX


19. "Dallas Buyers Club" Oscar winner Jared : LETO


20. "I certainly will!" : SURE


21. "I'm here to help" : ASK ME


22. New Haven collegians : ELI'S

25. __-mo replay : SLO


26. Internet access letters : DSL Digital Subscriber Line


28. "That's the spot!" : AAH


29. ICU VIPs : RN'S


30. Eponymous Hicks with an online list : ANGIE. Angie's list - local business reviews. Never knew her last name.


32. Pasta specification : AL DENTE. "To the tooth."

36. Moves stealthily : TIP-TOES


38. "Ain't gonna happen" : NOHOW


41. Dominate, in slang : OWN


42. Baby newt : EFT


43. Berlin article : DER


44. Prefix with conservative : NEO

49. Diner's list : MENU


50. Proofreaders' catches : TYPOS


51. Credit alternative : CASH


53. Leftover food bits : ORTS


54. TV host Hannity : SEAN


57. Little boys : TADS


58. Motion detector, e.g. : SENSOR. When I went to Tracker School, late at night after class the students would try stalking past the motion detector lights without tripping them.


59. Uncover, poetically : OPE


60. Where drs. wear masks : ORS


61. Botswana biter : TSE TSE

62. __ school : MED
 
Down


1. Names on spines : TITLES


2. "101 Dalmatians" villain de Vil : CRUELLA


3. Refer to in passing : MENTION


4. Confidential personal ID : SSN


5. Harbor guiders : TUGS


6. Preferred way to be paid? : IN FULL


7. Regional plant life : FLORA


8. Online security device : FIREWALL


9. Investor's purchase: Abbr. : STK


10. Indigenous drawings, carvings, etc. : FOLK ART. This is a Mexican folk art print, called "Flower Tree of Life."

11. Harrison song on the Beatles' "Let It Be" album : I ME MINE

12. Stocky dogs : BOXERS


15. Corned beef dish : HASH


17. Aegean island : IOS


21. Want very badly : ACHE FOR


24. Literature Nobelist Gordimer : NADINE. South African writer and political activist, Nobel prize winner. Died in 2014 at 90 years old.

26. Weight watchers : DIETERS


27. Wave to from the dock : SEE OFF

31. Econ. measure : GNP. Gross National Product.


32. Remote control batteries : AA'S


33. Ultimate degree : NTH


35. Unfastens : DETACHES


36. Like a House representative's term : TWO YEAR


37. Desk stamp go-withs : INK PADS

39. Like quaint rural schoolhouses : ONE ROOM

40. Got violently emotional : WENT APE

41. Decides one will : OPTS TO

43. Partner of cease : DESIST

45. Forcibly removed from power : OUSTED

47. Ages and ages : EONS

48. Chili con __ : CARNE. Meat.

49. Unruly crowd : MOB

52. Managed care gps. : HMO'S

55. Bygone jet, briefly : SST

56. School opening? : PRE. Love this clue.

Melissa

Monday, August 3, 2015 Ray Hamel

Theme: Poor grade (or an appropriate title for this puzzle) - D-plus. The target word starts with 'D' followed by phonetic long vowel, progressing from 'D-long A' to 'D-long U'.

17A. Thanksgiving, casually : TURKEY DAY. D + Ā

21A. Actress/activist who was Ossie Davis' life partner : RUBY DEE. D + Ē

38A. Crooked craps cube : LOADED DIE. D + Ī

60A. Anonymous man : JOHN DOE. D + Ō

65A. "Where Are You!" toon pooch : SCOOBY DOO. D + Ū

Argyle here. Impressive looking grid for a Monday; triple seven columns in all the corners. The long fill keeps this easy theme puzzle from being too bland.

Across:

1. Receives : GETS

5. Slide downhill on runners : SLED

9. Long stories : SAGAs

14. Water color : AQUA

15. Frankfurt mister : HERR. German.

16. Chat room troublemaker : TROLL

19. "Humble" home : ABODE

20. River through Rome : TIBER

23. "Give me __!": start of a Hoosier cheer : AN I

24. Becomes slippery, as a road : ICES UP

28. Dirty dishes site : SINK

29. Negative aspect : CON

30. Hot chili pepper : CAYENNE

32. Parisian summer : ÉTÉ

33. Wood choppers : AXES

35. When repeated, a former breath freshener : SEN

36. Hard luck case : LOSER

42. "My bad" : "SORRY"

45. __ Nineties : GAY

46. Nepalese staple : RICE

50. Tres menos dos : UNO. Spanish 3-2=1

51. Finds : LOCATES

55. Doze briefly : NAP

56. Alpha follower : BETA

58. In the best shape : HALEST

59. Part of TGIF: Abbr. : FRIday

62. Storage auction buys : UNITS

64. Argentine icon played by Madonna : EVITA

69. Roman agriculture goddess : CERĒS

70. Quattro automaker : AUDI

71. Texting button : SEND

72. Garbage : TRASH

73. Film holder : REEL

74. Other than that : ELSE

Down:

1. 1997 Hawke/Thurman sci-fi movie : GATTACA. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a pretty good review.

2. Semiannual astronomical event : EQUINOX. So is the solstice.

3. Many a windmill : TURBINE. Redux c/a.

4. Sushi bar cupful : SAKE

5. Hardly outgoing : SHY

6. Was in first place : LED

7. Stretch of history : ERA

8. Practice session : DRY RUN. The Word Detective says the term comes from fire companies doing practice sans water.

9. Wild guess : STAB

10. Fast food chain known for its roast beef : ARBY'S. Current ad campaign, "Arby's | We Have The Meats".

11. Halloween treats : GOODIES

12. Like firm spaghetti : AL DENTE. (firm to the bite)

13. More smooth : SLEEKER

18. Guitarist Clapton : ERIC

22. "Star Trek: Enterprise" network : UPN. (United Paramount Network)

25. Bambino's home : CASA. Not Babe Ruth's.

26. Watched with suspicion : EYED

27. Mali neighbor : SENEGAL. African west coast.

31. Yale student : ELI

34. Digital camera type, for short : SLR. (single-lens reflex)

37. Poet's "above" : O'ER

39. Popeye's Olive : OYL

40. See socially : DATE

41. Salon colorings : DYES

42. Topic : SUBJECT

43. Bogey, vis-à-vis par : ONE OVER

44. Nest egg named for a Del. senator : ROTH IRA

47. Nonbeliever, to some : INFIDEL

48. Moving day stack : CARTONS

49. Show in a television series : EPISODE

52. "Look what I found!" : :"O HO!"

53. Shaw's "__ and Cleopatra" : CAESAR. (George Bernard Shaw)

54. Ticket part you keep : STUB

57. Feeds the kitty : ANTEs

61. Smidge, as of salt : DASH

63. Org. at 11 Wall St. : NYSE. (New York Stock Exchange)

66. Actor's aid : CUE

67. Poetic tribute : ODE

68. It may be crude : OIL

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Melissa, whose life was turned upside down the past few years. Melissa is the most courageous and selfless sister I know. Find her the sweetest cake, Dave!